West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has once again cornered the Central Government regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of the voter list. He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led central government is pushing members of the Matua community into a state of uncertainty and confusion in the name of granting citizenship.
On Thursday (March 5, 2026), Mamata Banerjee, remembering Matua community matriarch Veenapani Devi on her death anniversary, said that the Center is raising questions on the identity of those who have been citizens of the country for a long time. Veenapani Devi, the matriarch of the Matua community, is known as Baro Ma.
The Bengal CM said in a post on social media platform X, ‘It is extremely unfortunate that due to the conspiracy of the BJP government at the Centre, our Matua brothers and sisters are being pushed into an unstable and confused situation. Politics is being done in the name of granting citizenship. He said, ‘His identity itself is being questioned. They are being deliberately excluded from the voter list through SIR. People who have been citizens of this country for generations, whose votes elect governments, are now being made to face uncertainty in the name of giving them citizenship again.
Mamata Banerjee said that her government will continue to oppose every step that weakens the rights of the community. He said, ‘This injustice will not be accepted. Our struggle will continue against the attempts to snatch away the rights of my Matua brothers and sisters and the people of Bengal. We will not allow any harm to the people of Bengal. Mamata Banerjee said that she had a personal and spiritual relationship with Veenapani Devi and she loved her like a mother.
He said, ‘On the death anniversary of Bado Ma Veenapani Devi, I pay my humble tribute and salute her. Following the path shown by Harichand Thakur and Guruchand Thakur, Matua Mahasangh has been an integral part of the social reform and renaissance of Bengal. He said, ‘Bado Ma nurtured these ideals throughout his life. Under his leadership, Matua Mahasangh was established as a pillar of social equality and fraternity.
Mamata Banerjee said her government has taken several initiatives for the welfare of the community, including the establishment of the Matua Development Board and the establishment of Harichand-Guruchand University in Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas district.
